In a communication network, a plurality of Base Stations (BSs) use one or more backhaul links for availing wireless communication services. The plurality of BS further provide these wireless communication services to a plurality of Mobile Stations (MSs). For example, in a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication network, an Access Service Network (ASN) includes one or more ASN-Gateways (ASN-GWs) and a plurality of BSs. Each ASN-GW communicates with one or more BSs in the ASN through a backhaul link for providing Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity. In a WiMAX communication network the backhaul link is an R6 link.
Further, in a WiMAX communication network, one or more MSs communicate with their corresponding BS through an R1 link. A cell of a BS may be divided into a plurality of sectors. In such case, each sector of the BS has a separate R1 link for communicating with the corresponding MSs. Traffic in the R1 link between the BS and the corresponding MSs varies due to change in capacity of the BS. The capacity of the BS changes due to change in modulation rate of signals communicated through the R1 link. If the data traffic is more in a backhaul link for a sector of a BS which operates at a lower capacity, then the data will be buffered and dropped in the BS. Therefore, the backhaul link is not optimally used; as a result, usage cost is increased.
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